A Bold Combo: Southern Peru, Bolivia, and Northern Chile (page 1 of 7)

Hello everyone,

For our latest 3-week family trip (yes, the kids are growing up, and two of them are about to enter the working world), we’re heading to South America! For our first time on this continent, I had planned a classic 3-week loop in Peru.

But since we won’t be returning to this part of the world anytime soon, I thought: why not follow in the footsteps of Franck, aka Bibouns51, who, in 18 days, didn’t just stick to Peru but also added two of the planet’s most stunning landscapes to his itinerary... the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and its neighbor, the fabulous Atacama Desert in northern Chile !!

So, I set about the tricky task of limiting the regions we’d visit in Peru to those we considered must-sees, to avoid rushing too much. The visit schedules were optimized, including several comfortable overnight buses that have the huge advantage of letting us hop between regions.

So, we’re off on a somewhat adventurous trip with three domestic flights (two on the first day and one on the last), two overnight buses for quick hops, several car rentals, the services of a few drivers to make the trip more comfortable, and even a tour operator for crossing the Salar...

Our main concern is altitude sickness, and we’re bringing Diamox, aspirin, etc., just in case.

Our second worry before departure was not even getting off the ground... Yes, for once, we’re leaving from France—Marseille, to be exact. The week before our departure, with the surprise air traffic controllers’ strike, I remembered why we usually prefer to leave from abroad, like Turin or Barcelona... In the end, it wasn’t the air traffic controllers who made us nervous but the early July wildfires that paralyzed the airport a few days before our departure. Fortunately, the fires were quickly brought under control, and on the big day, everything was smooth sailing!

Detailed itinerary (which changed on Day 1 due to departure hiccups): Day 0: Flight Marseille - Madrid - Lima PERU Theoretical and abandoned Day 1: Flight Lima - Cuzco and visit Cuzco (Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, Cristo Blanco Observatory, Sacsayhuaman sunset) - Night in Cuzco Day 2: Taxi -> Chinchero - Moray - Maras Salt Mines - Ollantaytambo - Train to Aguas Calientes Day 3: Machu Picchu - Return train to Ollantaytambo Day 4: 2-day taxi -> Pisac - Tipon - Andahuaylillas - Huaro - Night in San Pedro Day 5: Palcoyo - Checacupe - Vinicunca - Return and night in Cuzco Day 6: Day in Cuzco (catch-up on Sacsayhuaman, San Blas district, Temple of the Sun) - Overnight bus to Arequipa Day 7: Rental car -> On the road to Colca Canyon, night in Cabanaconde Day 8: Descent to the bottom of Colca Canyon, night at Oasis Sangalle Day 9: Ascent from the canyon - Maca - Chivay - Return and night in Arequipa Day 10: Visit Arequipa (Santa Catalina Convent, La Recoleta Church and Monastery, La Compañía Church, Cathedral) - Overnight bus to Puno Day 11: Lake Titicaca - Night in Puno BOLIVIA Day 12: Shared taxi -> Road to La Paz, visit downtown La Paz - Night 1 in La Paz Day 13: Moon Valley and Las Animas Valley - Night 2 in La Paz Day 14: Day in La Paz - Night 3 in La Paz Day 15: Flight to Uyuni - Day 1 of Salar de Uyuni tour - Night at the edge of the Salar Day 16: Crossing the Lipez region and lagoons - Night near Laguna Colorada Day 17: Sol de Mañana CHILE Day 17 cont.: Pre-booked transfer to SPDA - 4x4 rental - Pukara de Quitor - Stargazing tour - Night 1 in SPDA Day 18: Death Valley and Moon Valley - Night 2 in SPDA Day 19: Miscanti and Miniques Lagoons, Salar de Aguas Calientes and its Piedra Roja, Tebenquiche Lagoon and Quebrada del Diablo - Night 3 in SPDA Day 20: Rainbow Valley and swim in the Puritama River - Night 4 in SPDA Day 21: Tebenquiche Lagoon - Bus to Calama - Flight to Santiago Day 22: Return Santiago - Madrid - Marseille

Day 0 - 11/07: Destination Lima

Our first flight from Marseille went smoothly to our Iberia layover in Madrid.

In Madrid, just after getting off the plane around 8 PM, and as we were walking through the terminal, we got a rude awakening!!

We saw the word "Cancelled" next to our flight number on the display boards. Thinking it must be a glitch, we checked another screen, but the system was stubborn, and the same dreaded word appeared !

So, we headed to the Iberia counter, where an agent confirmed that our Friday evening flight was canceled and rescheduled for the next morning. The reason? A breakdown and no replacement plane, even though we were in Madrid, Iberia’s home base!

To make matters worse, I remembered our super-tight schedule, planned to the minute, with no buffer day in Lima. Since I’m a bit phobic of megacities and hadn’t found anything appealing in the Peruvian capital in our guidebooks, we’d planned to leave Lima as soon as possible for Cusco, the heart of the Sacred Valley, to spend our first day there.

Bad idea, because we already knew the 4-hour buffer wouldn’t be enough, and we’d miss the domestic flight, which was, of course, non-refundable and non-changeable. So, we had to call LATAM from Madrid to find another flight for Saturday evening and negotiate a rate to recover some of our initial outlay.

After an hour on the phone with customer service, several endless holds, and three failed attempts to dictate our credit card number over the phone to a Spaniard speaking English with a thick accent, we finally managed to confirm the transaction, securing our new flight tickets for a moderate extra cost of just 150 € total.

At first, we were pretty bummed about losing a day and incurring extra fees to reschedule the domestic flight, but then, when we learned from an Iberia customer service rep that we’d receive the max compensation of 600 € per traveler, we even ended up grinning... because 3000 € in refunds for only losing the first day in Cusco? We’d sign up for that 10 times over!!

Iberia then took care of us, putting us up in a hotel where we had dinner before a short 5-hour night and an early morning departure. I took the opportunity to improvise a quick day of sightseeing in Lima, focusing on the Barranco and Miraflores districts.

Day 1 - 07/12: Destination Cusco

Saturday morning, the alarm goes off at 4 AM for a return to Madrid Airport by 5 AM.

But after yet another technical issue with our replacement plane (!!!), we finally left Madrid with another two-hour delay.

Upon arrival in Lima, with only 4 hours before our flight to Cusco, we used the Indrive app to find a driver, David, who was super friendly and gave us a quick tour of the city.

We wanted to spend some time in the Barranco and Miraflores districts, but massive traffic jams downtown—due to roadworks on the expressway—convinced us to cut the visit short. We really didn’t want to risk missing our domestic flight. The few neighborhoods we passed through didn’t exactly make us want to explore further.

Eventually, we landed in Cusco late in the evening, completely wiped out after this never-ending day—jet lag didn’t help... But the real adventures start tomorrow...

Day 2 - 13/07: Chinchero - Moray - Maras Salt Mines - Ollantaytambo

For our first night at altitude in Cusco, perched at 3,400 m, the three of us guys had a pretty rough night. We kept waking up feeling like we were suffocating because of the lack of oxygen!

On top of that, jet lag meant we were up super early. After a quick breakfast, we took advantage of the early morning to stroll around the Plaza de Armas.

Traditional houses lined the streets, recognizable by their colorful woodwork and balconies jutting out over the road, not to mention the multiple flags showing off their patriotism!

The alignment of all these houses makes for a stunning visual effect.



The Plaza de Armas was still half-asleep, and at 7 AM at 3,400 meters in the middle of winter, the cold really bites!

We caught the attention of a vendor who offered us handmade wool hats, and of course, we couldn’t resist. It supports local business... even if one of our cockers later went to town on the pom-pom!!

It was Sunday morning, and the Plaza de Armas was coming to life fast! We were lucky enough to catch a Sunday military ceremony.



After buying the Boleto Turistico and exchanging dollars for soles, we headed back to our hotel where our driver/guide for the day was waiting.

A quick money sidebar: I’d estimated our cash needs for each region based on ATM availability and card acceptance. We left with $3,000 and nearly 1000 € in cash, split across four money belts to minimize losses in case of trouble. In the end, we had $1,000 left, mainly because cash wasn’t very useful in Chile around San Pedro. Some shopkeepers there even refused our greenbacks!

Today’s itinerary included Chinchero, the Moray complex, and the Maras salt mines, with the goal of reaching Ollantaytambo—the gateway to the trip’s must-see, Machu Picchu !

But, as any self-respecting driver would, Emerson made an “unplanned” stop in Chinchero at an authentic textile workshop. Initially skeptical, we quickly got into it, thanks to a warm welcome (no llama spit involved),

but mostly because the woman’s explanations about how different dyes are made were fascinating.



In the end, we really enjoyed the visit, despite the slightly tourist-trap prices in the shop.

Still, the shop was a must-visit, given the time the woman spent with us, and we bought an alpaca plushie. Then, the driver took us to the village of Chinchero, known in guidebooks for its traditional market and ruins.

Walking through Chinchero’s streets, you can freely visit workshops making traditional textiles. We’d just seen one on the outskirts of town, so we skipped it.

As for the market, I’ll admit I didn’t get what was so interesting about it...

It was just a local market selling local products, like the ones we have back home. I was expecting—based on the guidebooks—a traditional market overflowing with local textiles. There were maybe 2 or 3 stalls selling blankets, lost among the food stands, but that was it.

Even our driver seemed surprised when I asked him to give us 20 minutes to wander around the square!

Our eyes were more drawn to the Peruvian women dressed in brightly colored, vibrant clothes. And don’t forget the hats to protect against the sun’s rays.

These women’s faces, marked by life and hard work,

Looking back at the photos later, I realized that the famous market must’ve just been inside the ruins, at the entrance to the site.



The main attraction in Chinchero is its ruins, with many walls, buildings, and towers featuring stone and lime facings.

A lot of the walls and remains are in rough shape, but you’ve got to admit that the walls built using Inca methods seem to stand the test of time much better!

Chinchero dates back to the Inca era, as evidenced by the famous agricultural terraces still in use today.

The soil in Chinchero is known to be one of the most fertile in the Sacred Valley. Fava beans, potatoes, and quinoa are sold at the local market. Elderly women dry varieties of small potatoes right on the ground before peeling them with their worn and darkened fingers.

Next stop: the Moray agricultural research center, and right next to it, the Maras salt mines.

Discovered only in 1930, the Moray site is an ingenious system of agricultural terraces that creates multiple microclimates depending on where the plants are grown. You can even spot an irrigation system. According to scientists, the temperature difference of about 15°C would have allowed the Incas to cultivate plants from the Andes, temperate zones, and even the jungle!

Just a few kilometers from Moray, before even reaching the Maras salt mines, the access road offers a magnificent panoramic view of the entire site!



After giving Laetitia time to throw up—unfortunately a habit for her at the start of almost every trip—we head down closer to the salt mines.

Until a few years ago, it was possible to walk along the salt mines, but now the path is blocked by a chain.

So we stay at the only viewpoint overlooking the salt mines and watch several workers busy among the terraces.



The overall views, despite the harsh midday light, leave us speechless

Since the start of the day, there have been quite a few people everywhere. Makes sense—we’re hitting the classic spots in the Sacred Valley!

Since we didn’t take a guided tour, we don’t have any explanations for the different ochre shades in this mosaic of colors.

For lunch, the driver recommends a good, hearty restaurant with local prices to recharge—except for Laetitia, who can only manage a few sips of Coke since she can’t swallow anything else. We had planned to invite the driver, but when I went to pay the bill, I realized he had automatically added himself to our tab without asking...

The driver takes us to Ollantaytambo in the late afternoon, the starting point for the *very* expensive train to Aguas Calientes and its famous Machu Picchu.

Before catching the evening train, we take the opportunity to visit the Inca site of Pinkuylluna, facing west and bathed in the beautiful late-afternoon light. There’s a bit of elevation gain to reach the ruins, and the lack of oxygen is quickly noticeable.

Laetitia stays at the base of the hike since she’s thrown up all the meals and drinks from the day. We’re not sure if it’s the cheese from breakfast or the coca mate from the textile workshop that’s to blame, but the only certainty is that she’s *very* weak for the big Machu Picchu day. I try to book her a spot on the bus for the ascent to spare her the 460 meters of elevation gain over just 1.7 km, but no luck—reservations are closed 😕.

In the meantime, we climb alone.

Once we reach the Pinkuylluna ruins, we have a great view of Ollantaytambo and the ruins across the way, facing east, which house the eponymous site.



We head back down to the village. In an alley, we’re drawn to this guinea pig farm—a local culinary specialty. They offer to let us reserve some, but we decline since we all want to be "operational" to try the dish.



All that’s left is to catch the 7 PM train to Aguas Calientes, not without first lightening our load by leaving our big backpacks in a free PeruRail locker. It’s already dark, so we won’t get to enjoy the stunning mountain views along the way. This choice was mainly budget-driven—after all, we’re still looking at over 100 € for the round-trip per person, not even counting the entry fees for two different circuits at Machu Picchu.

As for Laetitia’s stomach, there’s a glimmer of hope—by 9 PM, when we arrive in Aguas Calientes, she manages to eat some pasta and an avocado. And she’ll get a good night’s rest to recharge, because after a crazy first day, I set the alarm for 3:55 AM, which still gives (her) five hours of sleep... Royal, right ?

Oh, and I almost forgot a detail. When we showed up at our hotel booked via Booking, the manager told us the hotel had been sold, and the new owner had thrown out all the Booking reservations. Cool...

While we were looking for a backup plan with hotels farther out, the manager offered to put us up in a private apartment for 45 bills in cash. Judging by the state of the apartment, we quickly suspected it wasn’t part of the official rooms open for booking—and that he was making some under-the-table money off someone’s back!! We became convinced when he *strongly* insisted on the key return time before dawn. Doesn’t matter to us—the apartment is clean and huge, we’re exhausted, and it’s time to rest...

Doesn’t matter to us—the apartment’s clean and huge, and we’re exhausted. Time to rest...

Hey Guillaume, I’m already exhausted just reading this! I’ll be following this whirlwind trip, intrigued by the pace of your stops!

Buenos dias,

I'm boarding this bus, heading to the Andes...

Hi Bruno, Welcome, and your message makes me think I forgot to include the itinerary in my (way too long 😏) intro!! I’ll add it as soon as I get a chance.

Good morning,

I'm hopping on this bus, heading to the Andes...

Hi Manu, Welcome aboard—there’s plenty of room on the bus, and you’ve got the best seat in front of the screen! 😊

Hello Guillaume, I’ll be following your journey too 😊 Your photos are already stunning—landscapes and portraits alike 👍 I suspect Laeticia’s feeling a bit of altitude sickness 😵‍💫 ... going straight from sea level to 3,500m is pretty bold 😅🍺

Hi there!

Love the new travel journal—this is starting off strong! :)

Hey Guillaume,

I’m joining in too—well, virtually, because just reading your post already exhausts me! 😎 But honestly, the photos are making me want to go 🙂

The driver takes us in the late afternoon to Ollantaytambo, the starting point of the very expensive train to Aguas Calientes and its famous Machu Picchu.

Hi there, Love this travel journal! Combining southern Peru with part of Bolivia isn’t a bad idea—especially the stunning Salar de Uyuni region! Continuing on to northern Chile (which I haven’t visited) does mean a lot of travel in three weeks, but if you had a return flight from Chile to France, why not?...

For me, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu will always be amazing memories... I’m surprised, though, that the train to Aguas Calientes has become "muy caro" (very expensive)! Back when I went, there were two trains: one called the "tourist train," which wasn’t too pricey, and another called the "Indian train." I took the latter to soak up the local vibe. The fare was dirt cheap—just a few soles. It was an old steam train that averaged about 30 km/h, slowing down for curves and passing through tunnels... That’s where you had to stay alert! Theft was common. Young guys would open the windows beforehand, scope out backpacks, and take advantage of the darkness to grab a bag, toss it out the window, then jump off the train to retrieve it. Inside, peasants traveled with all sorts of goods—bloody meat in burlap sacks, live animals like chickens and guinea pigs... I still picture a young girl sitting across from me, probably heading to the market. She was dressed to the nines in a spotless white blouse and a perfect skirt—like she was going to church! She had a box of baby chicks on her lap. She was chatting with her friend when suddenly, very casually, she blew her nose loudly into her blouse! The look on everyone’s faces was priceless! To visit Machu Picchu back then, you had to buy a "pack" valid for 10 sites. Since I didn’t plan to visit all 10, I took the train to Aguas Calientes without buying the entrance ticket. At Aguas Calientes, shuttles (buses) took tourists up to Machu Picchu. I set off on foot with a rough map of the area and tackled a steep climb through the forest... and arrived, no questions asked, right in the middle of the site! Does the "pool" fed by the "aguas calientes" (hot springs) still exist? It was so relaxing to soak there in the evening under the stars!

From what I’ve read, the "Local Train" has been off-limits to non-Peruvian ID holders since 2001, when the private company PeruRail was created—the only alternative currently available (aside from walking along the tracks via Hidroeléctrica).

Going from sea level straight to 3,500m is pretty bold 🥵‍🍷

Couldn’t have said it better myself 😅

only alternative currently possible (apart from walking along the tracks via Hidroelectrica).

Rather than walking along the railway tracks, I’d prefer this option ;) https://voyagesautenteo.com/perou/conseils/vallee-sacree/le-chemin-de-linca/ But even here, what used to be free and open has become paid and requires booking!

Hello Guillaume, I’ll be following your journey too 😊 Your photos are already stunning—landscapes and portraits alike 👍 I suspect Laeticia might’ve been a bit altitude-sick 🥴 ... going from sea level straight to 3,500m is pretty bold 😵‍💫

Hi Isabelle, Thanks for your kind message. Even though I’m still a bit nervous, I tried to take more portraits this time—some allowed, some on the sly... I’m not sure if Laetitia had altitude sickness, because a few days later she was fine in Palcoyo. But there’s no doubt that gaining 3,500m in elevation in a single day didn’t help 🏴‍☠️!!

Hello Guillaume

I’m joining in too—well, virtually at least, because just reading your post already exhausts me! 😎 But the photos are definitely tempting 🙂

Hello Pascale and Muriel, and thanks for stopping by this travel journal!

Muriel, if you’re already tired, then I’d *strongly* advise against checking out the first post where I just added the detailed itinerary with the transport options for the short hops 😎!!

The plan seemed to work for my little crew, except for one particular day that wasn’t really a great fit. Maxime even called me out for my lack of prep... But I won’t spoil it—I’ll save that story for the conclusion to keep you reading to the end... 😛

If you're already tired, then I strongly advise against checking the first message where I just added the detailed itinerary with transportation options for the short hops

Why didn’t I listen to that advice?!!

But I won’t spoil it and will save this anecdote for the conclusion—to give you a reason to read all the way through... 😛

No need for teases—I wouldn’t miss the fastest trip in the entire VF galaxy for anything!!

P.S.: No judgment, but I wouldn’t go on vacation with you guys!! [;]

Good evening Jean-Michel,

Combining southern Peru with part of Bolivia isn’t a bad idea, especially the stunning Salar de Uyuni region! Continuing on to northern Chile (which I haven’t visited) does mean a lot of travel in 3 weeks, but if you had a return flight from Chile to France afterward, why not?...

Luckily, we didn’t feel like we were constantly on the road thanks to those short overnight bus hops. In practice, we felt like we visited two main areas: 1. Sacred Valley - Arequipa region - Lake Titicaca - La Paz 2. South Lipez - Atacama Desert

I’m still surprised the train to Aguas Calientes has become "Muy caro"! Back when I went, there were two trains: one called the "tourist train," which wasn’t actually that expensive, and another called the "Indian train." I took the latter to soak up the local vibe... The fare was ridiculous—just a few soles. It was an old steam train that averaged no more than 30 km/h, slowed down for curves, and went through tunnels... That’s where you had to stay alert! Theft was common.

What amazing stories—it gives Machu Picchu a whole different feel, and it’s impossible to relive that experience today when you see how touristy the site has become 😕 !! For transport, there are only two options: PeruRail and IncaRail. The train schedules change, and there are a few perks (like free luggage storage with PeruRail), but otherwise, both companies, which have a monopoly, keep their prices in line. When you add the train ticket to the price of entry (and I got scammed by blindly following the first Google links, which inevitably led to Peruways instead of the official site), the final bill stings. But when it’s a lifelong dream, the price becomes secondary...

Does the "pool" fed by the "aguas calientes" still exist? It was so relaxing to swim there at night under the stars!

Yes, the pool is still there, but we didn’t bring swimsuits—they were left in Ollantaytambo because we thought we’d only be at Machu Picchu for the day. So, exhausted after our day at MP, we didn’t even go check it out.

But I won’t spoil it and will save this anecdote for the conclusion—just to make you want to read all the way through... 😛 No need for teasing; there’s no way I’d miss the fastest trip in the entire VF galaxy!!

And here I was thinking I’d reassure you by showing you that the itinerary was actually pretty balanced (I won’t go as far as saying "zen") 🏴‍☠️ !!! You know Franck and Sullivan did more or less the same route, but in 18 days. So we were actually pretty comfortable with 21 days, right? Summing up the route, I even thought more than one of you would swipe my program in a heartbeat—I spent months optimizing it 😛

Ps: no judgment, but I wouldn’t go on vacation with you guys!! 😉

No worries, we all travel differently, and what matters is that everyone enjoys it!